This page is an attempt to compile and organise the key ideas to date. None of these ideas are set in stone – they are just a rough first attempt to mould the ideas we have developed with our two dream teams.
Unit Summary Decisions about energy use affect the quality of life on our planet, both now and in the future. It is an important part of our discussions about living in environmentally sustainable ways. As we continue to rely on finite resources as sources of energy to power our life style, all users of energy must make choices about how much energy they use as we work together to a more sustainable future. In this unit students will study the concepts of sustainability together with non-renewable and renewable sources of energy, energy transfer, transformation and measurement. Our work on sustainability extending from the global to the local perspective. Students will investigate and use new and existing technologies, recommend actions that may reduce carbon emissions and inform their wider community about the sustainable living and the use of energy. The inquiry-based learning approach taken in this unit consists of first-hand investigations of a range of inquiry questions. There are internet research projects, directed investigations and student-designed practical investigations.Scientific evidence can assist students to make informed decisions and suggest ways to work towards a more sustainable world. Curriculum-Framing Questions Unit Questions Why is the sustainable use of energy important? What can we do to reduce our energy use? Content Questions The questions which we set might include the following: Why is the sustainable use of energy important? What is sustainability? Why should we live in sustainable ways? Do we live in sustainable ways? Why do we need to use less electrical energy? Where does our energy come from?
How is our energy use connected to carbon emissions (and climate change?)? What are my personal carbon emissions? What are renewable and non renewable sources of energy? What are some benefits and consequences of using various energy sources? How do different energy sources contribute to carbon emissions (and climate change?)? Which particular energy sources should be used (in a model community) and why? What can we do to reduce our energy use? How do we use electrical energy in our community- school and home? How can we be safe with electricity? How do we measure how much electrical energy we use? How can we investigate scientifically the impact of one electrical energy reduction strategy? What personal choices can we make to reduce how much electrical energy we use (and result in lower carbon emissions)? How can we communicate our ideas? What personal behaviours have I changed? Prerequisites Prior experience with using technology for research, and for representing, analysing and communicating information is helpful. Previous cooperative learning and scientific method/process investigations would be beneficial. Prior understandings of electrical energy transfer and transformations e.g. simple closed circuits is an advantage. Understandings of carbon dioxide and the impact of it upon greenhouse and ultimately upon climate change Content Descriptions / Big ideas Working towards a sustainable future requires that we all make informed choices about the use of electrical energy and thereby assist in reducing carbon emissions. Understandings Sustainability is a matter of thinking globally and acting locally - changing the way we act to support the natural systems at work on our planet Sustainability means giving future generations a world that is as rich as the one we have inherited Sustainable practices will ensure energy for the future and will extend our existing energy resources. Energy is an essential resource. There are a variety of resources that provide us with energy, some of these resources are renewable; others are non-renewable. Energy consumption affects our world. Burning fossil fuels for energy can release greenhouse gases/carbon emissions that create global changes that lead to climate change. The use of energy resources (e.g. coal, oil, wind, sun) has particular costs and benefits (social, environmental -carbon emissions) which can be measured. Renewable sources of energy, including water, solar and wind, and can be transformed into electrical energy Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed and measured. Working towards a sustainable future requires that we all make choices about reducing the use of electrical energy and thereby assist in reducing carbon emissions There is an interconnectedness between Australia and global environments and individuals and groups can act in an ecologically responsible manner. Inquiry skills Students will pose meaningful questions that can be investigated and apply different inquiry methods (eg fair testing, survey, secondary sources). Students will use a variety of sources to develop the questions which they will explore around sustainability and energy Students will investigate practical ways for individuals, households or their school to conserve electrical energy resourcesand make judgements based on the results of observing, questioning, planning, predicting, testing, collecting, recording and analysing data, and drawing conclusions. Students will communicate their findings and recommendations to an audience. Values Students will argue a position on whether or not particular energy sources should be used in a community. Students will develop responsibility as consumers to conserve and manage energy resources in ways that are fair to both present and future generations Students will communicate (and justify?) their beliefs and decisions about reducing the use of electrical energy in their community-school & home. Students will appreciatiethe environment, one’s personal relationship with it and one’s responsibility for its future; Students will recognise the interdependence of people and the environment; showing commitment to ecologically sustainable development and lifestyles; and being environmentally responsible.
ICT Students will use a range of technology, to conduct web research, collect measurements of electrical energy usage, present experimental results using spreadsheets, graphing programs and digital cameras and communicate their findings e.g. using interactive whiteboards, PowerPoint presentations. Key Vocabulary Alternative energy, behaviour, carbon, climate change, communities, consequences, conservation, decisions, electrical energy, emissions, ethics, fossil fuels, generation, greenhouse gases, hydroelectricity, power, network, renewable, non-renewable, resource, responsibilities, solar, sources, storage, sustainability, technology, transfer, transformation, values, wind. Subject Areas Science (Earth, Physical, Environmental) HSIE English Mathematics Unit Design The unit will consist of a logical sequence of activities that is consistent with the 5Es, a constructivist model of teaching and learning. Teaching and learning progresses through five phases Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. It may well be that there is an integration of Science, HSIE English and Mathematics in each alliteration of the 5Es teaching learning model. Staying with an inquiry approach, I have analysed the backward mapping responses on our wikispace and have generated a list of content questions (as above). I then aligned them into the 5Es teaching learning model. What do you think? Please see 5Es summary page.
Unit Summary
Decisions about energy use affect the quality of life on our planet, both now and in the future. It is an important part of our discussions about living in environmentally sustainable ways. As we continue to rely on finite resources as sources of energy to power our life style, all users of energy must make choices about how much energy they use as we work together to a more sustainable future.
In this unit students will study the concepts of sustainability together with non-renewable and renewable sources of energy, energy transfer, transformation and measurement. Our work on sustainability extending from the global to the local perspective. Students will investigate and use new and existing technologies, recommend actions that may reduce carbon emissions and inform their wider community about the sustainable living and the use of energy.
The inquiry-based learning approach taken in this unit consists of first-hand investigations of a range of inquiry questions. There are internet research projects, directed investigations and student-designed practical investigations. Scientific evidence can assist students to make informed decisions and suggest ways to work towards a more sustainable world.
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Unit Questions
Why is the sustainable use of energy important?
What can we do to reduce our energy use?
Content Questions
The questions which we set might include the following:
Why is the sustainable use of energy important?
What is sustainability?
Why should we live in sustainable ways?
Do we live in sustainable ways?
Why do we need to use less electrical energy?
Where does our energy come from?
How is our energy use connected to carbon emissions (and climate change?)?
What are my personal carbon emissions?
What are renewable and non renewable sources of energy?
What are some benefits and consequences of using various energy sources?
How do different energy sources contribute to carbon emissions (and climate change?)?
Which particular energy sources should be used (in a model community) and why?
What can we do to reduce our energy use?
How do we use electrical energy in our community- school and home?
How can we be safe with electricity?
How do we measure how much electrical energy we use?
How can we investigate scientifically the impact of one electrical energy reduction strategy?
What personal choices can we make to reduce how much electrical energy we use (and result in lower carbon emissions)?
How can we communicate our ideas?
What personal behaviours have I changed?
Prerequisites
Prior experience with using technology for research, and for representing, analysing and communicating information is helpful.
Previous cooperative learning and scientific method/process investigations would be beneficial.
Prior understandings of electrical energy transfer and transformations e.g. simple closed circuits is an advantage.
Understandings of carbon dioxide and the impact of it upon greenhouse and ultimately upon climate change
Content Descriptions / Big ideas
Working towards a sustainable future requires that we all make informed choices about the use of electrical energy and thereby assist in reducing carbon emissions.
Understandings
Sustainability is a matter of thinking globally and acting locally - changing the way we act to support the natural systems at work on our planet
Sustainability means giving future generations a world that is as rich as the one we have inherited
Sustainable practices will ensure energy for the future and will extend our existing energy resources.
Energy is an essential resource.
There are a variety of resources that provide us with energy, some of these resources are renewable; others are non-renewable.
Energy consumption affects our world. Burning fossil fuels for energy can release greenhouse gases/carbon emissions that create global changes that lead to climate change.
The use of energy resources (e.g. coal, oil, wind, sun) has particular costs and benefits (social, environmental -carbon emissions) which can be measured.
Renewable sources of energy, including water, solar and wind, and can be transformed into electrical energy
Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed and measured.
Working towards a sustainable future requires that we all make choices about reducing the use of electrical energy and thereby assist in reducing carbon emissions
There is an interconnectedness between Australia and global environments and individuals and groups can act in an ecologically responsible manner.
Inquiry skills
Students will pose meaningful questions that can be investigated and apply different inquiry methods (eg fair testing, survey, secondary sources).
Students will use a variety of sources to develop the questions which they will explore around sustainability and energy
Students will investigate practical ways for individuals, households or their school to conserve electrical energy resources and make judgements based on the results of observing, questioning, planning, predicting, testing, collecting, recording and analysing data, and drawing conclusions.
Students will communicate their findings and recommendations to an audience.
Values
Students will argue a position on whether or not particular energy sources should be used in a community.
Students will develop responsibility as consumers to conserve and manage energy resources in ways that are fair to both present and future generations
Students will communicate (and justify?) their beliefs and decisions about reducing the use of electrical energy in their community-school & home.
Students will appreciatiethe environment, one’s personal relationship with it and one’s responsibility for its future;
Students will recognise the interdependence of people and the environment; showing commitment to ecologically sustainable development and lifestyles; and being environmentally responsible.
ICT
Students will use a range of technology, to conduct web research, collect measurements of electrical energy usage, present experimental results using spreadsheets, graphing programs and digital cameras and communicate their findings e.g. using interactive whiteboards, PowerPoint presentations.
Key Vocabulary
Alternative energy, behaviour, carbon, climate change, communities, consequences, conservation, decisions, electrical energy, emissions, ethics, fossil fuels, generation, greenhouse gases, hydroelectricity, power, network, renewable, non-renewable, resource, responsibilities, solar, sources, storage, sustainability, technology, transfer, transformation, values, wind.
Subject Areas
Science (Earth, Physical, Environmental)
HSIE
English
Mathematics
Unit Design
The unit will consist of a logical sequence of activities that is consistent with the 5Es, a constructivist model of teaching and learning. Teaching and learning progresses through five phases Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. It may well be that there is an integration of Science, HSIE English and Mathematics in each alliteration of the 5Es teaching learning model.
Staying with an inquiry approach, I have analysed the backward mapping responses on our wikispace and have generated a list of content questions (as above). I then aligned them into the 5Es teaching learning model. What do you think? Please see 5Es summary page.